Bridge camera choice

Hi Everyone.

Help please.I am trying to choose between the Sony Hx200V or the Panasonic FZ150.
I would very much appreciate your expert views.
Thank you.
Regards.
Bob

Hx200V then i would be bias Bob
--
Alan.

bob110023 said:

Hi Everyone.

Help please.I am trying to choose between the Sony Hx200V or the Panasonic FZ150.
I would very much appreciate your expert views.
Thank you.
Regards.
Bob

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Hi Bob - Honestly, you should try them both out yourself if you can, then decide. Posting on a Sony forum obviously you're going to get biased opinions in favor of the Sony from some people just as you would if you posted on the Panasonic forum in favor of their camera.

This brand loyalty thing is so much rubbish.

The question is very easy! The answer is a little more complicated.... Depends on many things: first is what brand is your big screen Full HD TVset, because it is the best monitor for your photos and videos.
Sony camera on Sony TV screen looks fantastic!
The video recording from Sony HX is lot better than from Panasonic.
In low light photo also, Sony is better than Panasonic
The built-in flash of Sony is much more powerful than the one on FZ150.
The colors from Sony are more pleasant and beautiful. It has a much longer zoom.

The Leica lens on PanaFZ150 is very good, but the Carl Zeiss on Sony is fantastic !

I certainly would choose Sony, but I admit I am a Sony fan: almost all electronics in my home are from Sony. I tried for a while to change for Panasonic cameras (had FZ38, FZ100) but I didn't like the colors, contrast and sharpness. Not satisfied at all. But this is just my opinion. I'm almost sure that Marti58 will say the opposite. It is your choice.

Try to get a "test drive" with both of them, and then you'll find which one is the best for your needs.
Have a nice weekend!
--
Sergiu

Bob, I have been a loyal Sony fan for years and had the Hx100 for several months, it just has too many problems that are well documented on this forum. I bought a Panasonic fz150 and compared it side by side with the Sony and the Fz150 is so much better. It answers all the complaints we have about the sony hx100, so much faster, better still and video IQ, more compact plus so many extras that the Sony needs, but Sony refuses to listen to their buyers and keeps raising mp count and cutting back on features, where the Fz150 keeps adding more. It also appears that the new Sony hx200 is pretty much the same camera as the hx100 and will have the same problems and missing features. Its like the car makers did back in the 80's, they kept making the same cars over and over(same problems) but just added maybe a few small features and colors. Do yourself a favor and try out the Fz150 and also the new Sony hx200 and compare the diferences, for me it was a no-brainer. Also jump over to the Panasonic forum and read thru the threads, the fz150 is still a big hit and several former Hx100 owners over there.....!!!!

I remember some years ago, on the old UseNet Rec-Video newsgroup forum, there was one guy who kept promoting Panasonic camcorders and bad-mouthing everything by Sony. An investigation turned up the information that he worked for Panasonic and was using the group to try to offset the inferior qualities of Panasonic products by spreading falsehoods.

Unless the Panasonic FZ150 has something entirely new in its video autofocusing system, it will be of little value to serious videomakers. I've seen many samples of video from preceding Panasonic models and they shared the characteristic of having unstable autofocusing. Often, when they were zoomed, panned or showed moving subjects, there would be a glitch of a second or so, before the focus would stabilize, ruining the clip. If someone can prove to me that the FZ150 has overcome this Panasonic family disorder, I'll take another look at it.
--
Steve McDonald
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22121562@N00/
http://www.vimeo.com/user458315/videos

I guess it depends on what type of user you are. I personally find the handheld twilight mode of the HX100/HX200 better than any feature on the FZ150. Plus, I do not shoot RAW and that is what is needed on the FZ150 for the better image quality. I like the colors of the HX100/HX200 more so than the FZ150. I have owned both the HX100 and FZ150 and returned the FZ150. Looking forward to receiving the HX200 and testing it out...

NS3HX said:

Bob, I have been a loyal Sony fan for years and had the Hx100 for several months, it just has too many problems that are well documented on this forum. I bought a Panasonic fz150 and compared it side by side with the Sony and the Fz150 is so much better. It answers all the complaints we have about the sony hx100, so much faster, better still and video IQ, more compact plus so many extras that the Sony needs, but Sony refuses to listen to their buyers and keeps raising mp count and cutting back on features, where the Fz150 keeps adding more. It also appears that the new Sony hx200 is pretty much the same camera as the hx100 and will have the same problems and missing features. Its like the car makers did back in the 80's, they kept making the same cars over and over(same problems) but just added maybe a few small features and colors. Do yourself a favor and try out the Fz150 and also the new Sony hx200 and compare the diferences, for me it was a no-brainer. Also jump over to the Panasonic forum and read thru the threads, the fz150 is still a big hit and several former Hx100 owners over there.....!!!!

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Get the Sony, nuff said !

Wrong question in a wrong place.
--
aaanouel



Truth is a pathless land.
The dead past darkens the ever living present.

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude; nothing can help the man with wrong one."

Please excuse my poor (and probably misleading by times) english and orthographic rabbits, I do my best.
Corrections and critics are very welcome.

I too am about to buy one of these cameras. I do own a Panasonic FZ28 and a Panasonic 50” HD television. I also have some large Sony speakers in my house. I have held the Sony Hx200V in my hands at the local Sony Style store. It’s much heavier than the FZ150. The Sony model has GPS and has been recognized for its color accuracy. It’s also more expensive. You should read the comments on the Panasonic forum. Look for entries made by TKinVA. He has posted some excellent demonstrations indicating the capabilities of the FZ150.

Why don’t you post your conclusions. I would like to read someone else’s reasoning.

Don

--
Coastcontact

Steve, I do not work or promote for Panasonic like you are implying....!!!! I have no reason to be loyal to Sony , Panasonic or any other company, I am just an enthusiast like yourself and like to get the best bang for my bucks. Like I have stated I have liked Sony in the past and have had many of their cameras and still have an old Sony w-1 that still functions great. I had the hx100 for several months and I was the one who made the cheap homemade filter adapter and posted it here. I eventually sold my hx100 and bought the fz150 and for a while had both cameras to compare side by side with both stills and video. Every complaint and missing features of the Sony are addressed with the Fz150 plus all the comparator's and reviews show the Fz150 has much better IQ(especially at 100%). There are just too many differences to write here, but why not give one a try on a 30 day free return purchase if you are not happy with it. I have not had any video focusing problems like you have mentioned, but I did have some minor focusing problems with the Sony hx100 at times. Also the fz150 has complete manual control with video which I am sure you would like. I was hoping the new hx200 would address all the complaints we had with the hx100, but clearly its the same camera with the same problems and missing features of the hx100 and a way for Sony to try and "cash in" on Sony loyalty to lure hx100 users to upgrade....!!! I suggest you do a "youtube" search for the Fz150, there are tons of video samples and reviews there. But the real proof would be for you to try one on your own and draw you own conclusions. Some on here have made comments that the Panasonic cameras are "toylike junk", very childish, most likely they never tried out or even held the camera......!!!!

I have owned a Canon SX 20 IS for the past 3 years (super zoom) and a couple of different Panasonic P&S, including one of the water-proof models. Never owned a sony prior the HX200v i just received a couple of days ago.

I did purchase, about 4 months ago, a FZ 150, and sent it back. To me the picture quality was no better, and possibly worse, than my canon. I tried a couple of handheld twilight shots inside the house and the pictures were grainy and spotty. Also, while on the one hand the camera was very light, it felt very plasticky and cheap.

Here is a link my post with pictures i've taken with the HX200v. While I was on the fence (I was also thinking of getting an a57) I am now sold and keeping the HX200v.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1009&message=40992482

Keep in mind there was no effort at composition or playing around with any settings besides using scenes. I'm very happy with the photo quality. I realized I let up on the shutter too soon on the panorama shot so there is a blank spot. I will take a new one to replace that one as soon as the weather cooperates.

If you are still undecided, order both from Amazon at the same time and you have 30 days to return with no restocking fee, you are just out the shipping charges to return the one you don't want to keep.

Hi Guy's.

Thank you all very much for your honest input.I will try out both cameras and make my mind then. At the moment it is 75% to 25% in favour of the Sony HX200.

Thank you.
Kind regards.
Bob.

Wise choice Bob enjoy

bob110023 said:

Hi Guy's.

Thank you all very much for your honest input.I will try out both cameras and make my mind then. At the moment it is 75% to 25% in favour of the Sony HX200.

Thank you.
Kind regards.
Bob.

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--
Alan.

NS3HX said:

Sony refuses to listen to their buyers

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OP: That means that he prefers another manufacturer and because their camera has something that he likes he wants to attribute it to their "listening". I doubt he has an email from the head of engineering at Panasonic saying, "Since you want this, I will see that it is included" nor from Sony saying "Sorry we never listen to buyers". It is all fantasy language.

NS3HX said:

and keeps raising mp count

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OP: You have to know how to read comments here. In order to demonstrate that they are "sophisticated", some posters here must display certain coded signals. One is that they must say they dislike higher pixel count. Because this is the reverse of the common wisdom it shows you they have superior wisdom. There is no truth to the claim that more is worse, although it isn't always proportionally better. The claim is silliness and is part of why this post shouldn't be taken very seriously.

NS3HX said:

and cutting back on features, where the Fz150 keeps adding more.

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This is just bashing. I had an early HX-100 and lo and behold it has the same features as when I bought it. I bet his FZ does also.

There are plenty of happy HX-100 owners, me among them. I'm sure there are plenty of happy FZ150 owners and regardless of which you buy you will probably join either group.

I don't like trout but I'll eat it anyway.

sergius7 said:

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I went through a bunch of photos and videos online from the Panasonic FZ150. You can learn more about a camera by viewing unedited and casually-shot pictures, than from seeing polished and carefully-selected ones. The FZ150 seems to be improved in its features and quality of images, compared to its predecessors. At fullsize, the 4,000 X 3,000 shots looked good for this type of camera and the noise was fairly low. The photos don't look as sharp as I've seen from an HX100V, however and there wasn't quite as much detail in fine feathers and grass.

The FZ150 video had good color and sharpness and I didn't see nearly as much loss of autofocus when panning and zooming as was evident on earlier Panasonic cameras. The deal-killer for me, was the bad geometric distortion at the sides and corners, when panning or with fast moving subjects. This is a flaw you usually see with large-sensor D-SLRs. I saw this in 50p FZ150 footage and I've seen none of it in the 60p video from the HX100V.

I'd rank the FZ150 as second to the HX100V among ultrazoom cameras, in general quality of performance, but not suitable for serious general video, because of the geometric distortion. It would have to be used like a D-SLR for video, where scenes must be carefully controlled, with a minimum of panning and motion of subjects. The warping of the corners when panning is disconcerting and gives a feeling of vertigo when watching it. I can't explain why it would occur so badly on a small-sensor camera.

At its fairly low price, the FZ150 would be a good buy for many people, who were not concerned about using it much for action-type video. It can take telextenders without any after-market adaptors. Its feature-set is not as extensive as that of the new Sony HX200V, but most of the programmed capabilities in the photo mode don't interest me much. About 75% of the newer features on all cameras are things I'd never use, preferring to manually control as much as possible. Autofocus, however, is something I almost always use on this type of camera, so its performance is very important.
--
Steve McDonald
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22121562@N00/
http://www.vimeo.com/user458315/videos

Do yourself a favour. Take a SD or a SDHC memory card with you to the camera outfit. And get the sales person to assist you.

Pick an in-store scene somewhere where you can brace the camera. Take one of the cameras (doesn't matter which one) and force the lowest ISO setting. Take a shot in A(perture) mode and set the widest aperture and zero zoom. Now review the shot and jot down the Shutter speed and aperture size.

Put your card in one camera, set the lowest ISO, dial in M mode, set the same shutter and aperture settings (zoom all the way out) and take the (braced) shot. Now switch the card to the other camera and do the same thing.

Take your card home and review the two shots on your computer. View them at snapshot size (ie: 800x600). Then review them at 100% size and peep at them.

The one with the brightest exposure and least noise in it is the one you want. And what you think of the two will also be a factor

I don't have either a Sony (any longer) or a Panasonic camera so I have no brand preferences. And if you have to buy the memory card then its a very small investment compared to buying the wrong camera for several hundred dollars.

Dave

DavePlugh said:

Do yourself a favour. Take a SD or a SDHC memory card with you to the camera outfit. And get the sales person to assist you.

Pick an in-store scene somewhere where you can brace the camera. Take one of the cameras (doesn't matter which one) and force the lowest ISO setting. Take a shot in A(perture) mode and set the widest aperture and zero zoom. Now review the shot and jot down the Shutter speed and aperture size.

Put your card in one camera, set the lowest ISO, dial in M mode, set the same shutter and aperture settings (zoom all the way out) and take the (braced) shot. Now switch the card to the other camera and do the same thing.

Take your card home and review the two shots on your computer. View them at snapshot size (ie: 800x600). Then review them at 100% size and peep at them.

The one with the brightest exposure and least noise in it is the one you want. And what you think of the two will also be a factor

I don't have either a Sony (any longer) or a Panasonic camera so I have no brand preferences. And if you have to buy the memory card then its a very small investment compared to buying the wrong camera for several hundred dollars.

Dave

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Don't you have to format the SD card for each camera?

Hmmm. I don't see why. Once formatted I suspect they should work in both cameras. No?

Dave